Fly Ranch sits on the edge of the Black Rock desert, and on the ranch is Fly Geyser. The geiser was accidentally created in 1916 while drilling an irrigation well. The well worked for several decades, but in the 1960’s geothermally-heated water broke through and shot to the surface. Over the years dissolved materials built the up around the geyser.  The minerals in the water make the geyser extremely colorful, especially at sunset.

Due to liability concerns, the geyser is off-limits.  Seeing Fly Geyser is on my bucket list.  What would you do?

We snuck in one evening at sunset.  We drove north until we saw the geyser across the scrub, and then parked alongside the road.  We crawled under the barbed wire, and then hiked across the scrub for a mile until we reached the geyser.  (Along the way we crossed the road which leads straight to the geyser… we used that much easier route when we left.)  Jackrabbits jumped away in surprise, and the wind blew across the sage.  Twice or three times I twisted my ankle in a rabbit hole.

But it was worth it.  The geyser is magnificent, especially at sunset.  Boiling hot water shoots out in all directions, spraying through the air and raining down into dozens of pools. Words cannot do justice… here are some photos, as an approximation…

Later we find a nearby pond which is the perfect soaking temperature.  As the sun slowly disappears behind the hills we float in the water, relaxing and happy to live in such a beautiful world.